Freedom hope for Iraqi leader

THE lawyer of Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister, yesterday claimed his client was to be released from jail without being put on trial.

Aziz, a Christian, is jailed along with Saddam Hussein and other senior members of the Baath Party overthrown by United States forces in April 2003.

Badia Aref, who saw Aziz on Tuesday during a visit to the jail near Baghdad, said: "I expect he will be set free soon, but not within days."